Motor-truck.



G. ALWARD.

MOTOR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16. 1912.

4 1 m Mm 2% MT M 6m r QR M a B v m m f m w WyZZSSf-S! c 0 14 C. A. WARD.

MOTOR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1912.

1,1 1 1,510. Patented Sept.22,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

. r I I I-m I 'i ll 1 +5 I Z I iy-M 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. warm, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MOTOR-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914;.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES WARD, a citizenof the United States, residing at New 'York city, New York, haveinvented cerabling the vehicle to be driven by electricity either from astorage battery, or from mechanism for developing electric powerlIlCllld: ing a prime mover such as an engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangementforcontrolling the power developing mechanism which will enable thestorage battery which propels the vehicle and the .power developingmechanism to be interchangeable, by making certain very simpledisconnections and connections of certain parts.

The invention consists in the general combination of partsand'simplicity of details hereinafter described, all of which contributeto produce an efiicient vehicle which may be driven interchangeably by astorage battery or by a power developing mechanism.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will be particularly described inthe follow;

ing specification while the broad scope of my invention will be pointedout in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure '1 is a plan showing a chassis to which myinvention has been applied; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the chassis;Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the relation of the parts and the wiringconnections, representing the motor of the vehicle as connected with thepower developing mechanism; Fig. 4 is a side elevation illus trating thehanger which is formed on the chassis for interchangeably carrying thepower mechanism or battery; Fig. 5 is an end elevationof a grid. whichmay be slid into the hanger when the power machinery tion of theinvention, it will facilitate the disclosure to state that in carryingout the invention I prefer to provide an electric motor or motorssupported on the chassisand connected with the driving wheels to drivethe vehicle, and the chassis has a special construction for removablysupporting power developing mechanism for generating electricity todrive. the aforesaid motor. This driving mechanism is preferablyconstructed as a unit power plant or power mechanism, that is itpreferably comprises an engine such 'as a gasolene engine connecteddirectly to a generator on the same shaft and preferably arranged withthe shaft extending transversely to the vehicle to facilitate theplacing of the power mechanism in its hanger in the chassis. When thispower mechanism is in place, controlling connections are made from thedrivers position for controlling the operation of the engine and thegenerator. These parts may be disconnected when desired, to permit thepower mechanism to be removed, and they then leave the interior of thehanger unobstructed so as to receive the batteries which may then beconnected up in the circuits to drive the vehicle.

The power mechanism preferably includes a battery which may be-a storagebattery, and this battery affords means for starting up the enginewithout necessitating the usual cranking process which is usuallynecessary in starting gasolene engines, and arrangement is made forenabling this battery when in the form of a storage battery, to becharged from the generator of the power mechanism or from an exteriorsource of electro-motive force.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the chassis ofthe vehicle. In applying my invention I provide the chassis preferablynear its middle point with a hanger 2, which is preferably of box-likeform and may be constructed of a plurality of rectangular frames 3disposed in a front and rear plane and connected by parallel bars 4which hold the frames in position and which may connect the structurerigidly to the chassis. In this way a rectangular space or power chamber5 is formed directly under the main frame of the chassis and extendingtransversely to the sides of the vehicle so as to be accessible fromeach side. The vehicle is preferably driven by chains 6 and 6",

ed near the rear axle 7 This electric-motor may be driven either by abattery held in the power chamber 5 or by power mechanism supported insaid, chamber. Figs. 1 and 2 show the power mechanism arrangedfordriving the motor 6. This power mechanism preferably comprises agasolene engine 8 of anysuitable construction but preferably arrangedwith its shaft 9 forming an extension of the shaft'of the generator ordynamo 10 which is set up beside the engine, and the frame of the engineand dynamo may be rigidly connected together so that they may be removedas one piece from the interior of the hanger. I' prefer to support theengine and the generator on a common bed-plate 11 which may also supportan'auxiliary storage battery 12. The bed-plate is rigidly attached inthe hanger by removable bolts 13 so that when desired, the bolts may beremoved and the engine, generator and auxiliary battery allremoved-together after making the proper disconnections of parts.Preferably near the drivers seat 14:, I provide a switch-board 15 and acontroller 16, and the switch-board and the controller are connectedwith the generator 10 and the storage battery 12 and also with the motor6 by wiring connections which are most the switch S are preferablyconnected with I the terminals of the storage battery 12 while thecorresponding points 19 and 20 of the switch S are connected with theterminals 0 andv b of the generator 10. Twoofthe upper terminals vof theswitches are connected in parallel with one terminal'of the motor- 6.andthe other two are connected in the same manner by conductor 21 withthe controller, contact B. The controller 16 whichlis preferablyadjacent the switchboard and near the driver s seat is' arranged so asto give the proper effects in starting up the generatorsand forcontrollin athe- 1acircuits. The controller is-illustrate grammaticallytogether with. four line-positions' marked I, II,'etc., corresponding tothe difl'erent, controller positions for for-' ward movement and withtwo similar lines corresponding with two reverse positions of thecontroller. In the first forward position the circuit illustrated inFig. 6 is produced, that is, the current passes through the twofield;c0ils 22 and 23in series and likewise-through the resistance21.and 25'.

This is efl'ected by connecting the contact R i with the contact-1F,said contact R being connected with the terminal 1" of the tworesistances, the other terminal a being connected with. :the return wire26 which, leads from the motor 6; also by connecting the: contacts I.and FFfi which carry the our-.-

' runnin rent in series through the fields 23 and 22 after passingthrough the resistances. The circuit in the second position of thecontroller is illustrated in Fig. 7 showing that the resistances 24 and25 are cut out of the circuit by connecting the terminal F directly withthe contact A. The field circuit remains unchanged. In the thirdposition of the controller, the resistance 25 is placed in parallel withthe field coils by reason of the fact that its terminal 7' (connected byconductor 27 with contact R is connected to the terminal as illustratedin Fig. 8. In the fourth position of the controller, both theresistances 2% and 25 are cut out andthe fields 22 and 23 are connectedin parallel through the medium of the controller which connects theterminals and jf d and also connecting the terminals f an fi.

The two circuits resulting from reversing The direction of flow of thecurpassing in series through the fields in the reverse direction; forone position both re sistances are in the circuit and in the otherposition both resistances are cut out of T the circuit. clearlyillustrated in Fig. 3. The switcha board is preferablyprovided with two'dou'- In the diagrams, Figs. 6v to 11, G indicates a source ofelectro-motive force such as a generator or battery, and M indicates amotor.

Referrmgagain to Fig. 3, it will be seen thatqthe inside pair of thelower contacts,

{that is the contacts 28 and 29 are connected 1 in parallel with a wire-30. This'wire may i be attached to the terminal of a generator at acharging station in order to charge either of the batteries at 12, theoutside lower con- Itacts 31 and 32 of the switches being connected inparallel with a loose wire 32 which should'be attached to the otherterminal of the generator at the charging station through 2 the mediumof a charging receptacle mounted'on the chassis. In charging thus,switch I S is closed'down and S is open.

..When. the vehicle' is being .driven by ourrent from its'own generator,the switch S is closed byan upward movement so as to engage the uppercontacts, the switch S being open. This connects the generator directlywith the motor and the controller, and this is the normal condition whenthe vehicle is on the road. In order to start u the ve icle when it isstanding" at rest,

j utiliae'the generator 10 as a. motor and drive it with current fromthe auxiliary battery 12 to start the gasolene engine 8. The circuitfrom the auxiliary battery 12 to the generator is closed by putting boththe switches S and IS in their down closed position.

.This same position of. the switches enables the auxiliary battery to becharged from the generatorlO because when the gasolene enmitigate ginebegins to run, it will develop a current in the generator opposing thecurrent of the storage battery 12 which may charge the battery. In thisconnection attention is called to the fact that the current from thestorage battery will drive the generator in the same direction in whichthe generator is driven in charging the battery, and this of course willdrive the asolene engine in the forward direction. hen thepower-generating mechanism or power plant comprising the gasolene engineand generator have been removed, the auxiliary battery 12 is alsoremoved and the contacts 17 and 18 are connected with the terminals ofthe interchangeable storage battery B as indicated in Fig. 3. With thisarrangement, the motor can be driven from thestorage battery B.

As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the bat tery B preferably consists of aplurality of cells 34 which are supported upon a grid 35, said gridcomprising crossbars 36 attached to parallel bars such as the T bars 37,and for convenience,,if desired, the grid may be provided with, aplatform 34 to support the cells as indicated in Fig. 4. Any suitablearrangement may be adopted for holding the battery B against shifting,and furthermore if desired, the ends of the power-chamber 5 may beclosed by suitable covers, not illustrated.

In usin the enerator 10 as a motor, it is desirab e to sfiift thebrushes on account of the shifting of the axis of commutation, and inorder to accomplish this, the brushes 38 are-preferably attached to acarrier 39 which may be connected by link 40 with a controlling lever41. Any suitable means may be provided for locking this lever 41 in thepositions corresponding to the two axes of commutation. The lever 41 isin convenient position to be controlled from the drivers seat 14. Inorder to facilitate the disconnection of the link or connection 40, Iprefer to provide the same with a coupling 42 of any suitableconstruction. This construction may be if desired, a turn-buckle havingright and left threaded ends and held against movement by check-nuts. Asimilar coupling 44 may be adopted for connecting and disconnecting link45 which is employed for connecting the carbureter 46 with a controllinglever 47 which is also arranged in a convenient position for the driverof the car.

These couplings 43 and 44 are preferably near the forward side of thehanger 2 so that when they have been disconnected and the powermechanism has been removed, the interior of the hanger, that is, thepower chamber 5 will be left unobstructed so that it will not interferein any way with the introduction of the storage battery B.

In connection with the starting up of the engine by means of thegenerator 10, it should be noted that as the generator is a directcurrent generator, it will constitute a vided with means for removablymounting power plants of two diiierent types within said chamber (suchas a gas engine and a dynamo coupled together, or a main storagebattery), each power plant being of sufiicient ca acity to act as thesole source of newer or said vehicle, said chamber arranged to hold butone of said power plants at one time, an electric motor for driving saidvehicle, an electric motor controller and a gas engine controlling meansmounted adjacent the operators seat, and switch controlled means forelectrically connecting the power plant contained in said chamberwitheither said motor or an outside source of electricity.

2. In a motor vehicle in combination, a main frame having a single powerchamber formed therein for receiving an electrical pow-er developingplant, said chamber provided with means for removably mounting powerplants of two different types within said chamber (such as a gas engineand a dynamo coupled together, or a main storage battery), each powerplant being of sufficient capacity to act as the sole source of powerfor said vehicle, said chamber arranged to hold'but one of said powerplants at one time, an electric motor for driving said vehicle, anelectric motor controller and a gas engine controlling means mountedadjacent the operators seat, and switch controlled means for connectingthe power plant contained in said chamber in circuit with said motor andcontroller, comprising one set of switches and contacts for use when thedynamo is mounted in said chamber as the power plant, and a separate setof switches and contacts for use when a main storage battery iscontained in said chamber as the power plant.

3. In a motor vehicle in combination, a chassis having a power chamberformed therein adapted to receive and removably hold either one of twodifferent electrical power developing plants (such as a gas en gine anddynamo or a main storage battery), each power plant being of sufficientcapacity to act as the-sole source of power for said vehicle, saidchamber being arranged to hold one of said power plantsat a time, apower plant consisting of a gas engine its and dynamo rlgldly mounted insaid chamber, an'eleetrie motor for driving said vehicle, removableconnections between the terminals of said dynamo and motor, an electricmotor controller and a gas-enginecontrolling-device both, mountedadjacent dynamo coupledtog'ether, or a main store e battery), eachpowerplant being of su cient ca acity to act as the sole source of poweror said vehicle, said chamber arranged to hold but one of said powerplants 25 at one time, an electric motor for drivin said vehicle, anelectric motor controller an a gas engine controlling-means mountedadja'cent the operators seat, both having detachable connections leadingto the interior 30 of said chamber, and switch controlled means forconnecting the power plant contained in said chamber in circuit withsaid motor and controller.

Signed at New York city this 13th day 35 of November, 1912.

CHARLES A. WARD. Witnesses:

W. C. EVANS, CHAS. ADAMS.

